Shannons Revives Touring Car Passion at AGP

Written by Sports Car Market

The Shannons Group A-Group C Touring Cars races, featuring capacity grids of the actual Holden, Ford, Jaguar, Nissan and Volvos and other makes that raced during the golden Brock-Johnson-Moffat-Richards era from 1973-1992, will be the highlights of the Saturday and Sunday support events at Albert Park.

Each of two the eight-lap races will take place in peak spectator times and will feature rolling starts.

Fans will also see the Shannons Group A-Group C Touring Cars on track twice on the Thursday opening day of the 2012 Formula 1™ Australian Grand Prix carnival from 15-18 March for practice and qualifying.

Shannons sponsorship for these Touring Cars events at the Grand Prix is in addition to its on-going support of the Shannons Historic Demonstration that will again see up to 60 special sports and racing cars spanning more than 80 years take to the 5.3km Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit a further four times during this year’s F1 carnival.

Only original competition cars from the period will be eligible to take part in the Shannons Group A-Group C Touring Cars races, with the drivers including a number of Bathurst-winning cars and well-known drivers.

Legendary competitors from the past will also officiate or meet the public in autograph sessions in the Shannons support paddock during the Grand Prix carnival, with a special display marking more than half a century of Australian Touring Cars racing featuring many famous cars.

Appropriately, Australia’s most successful active touring car driver – and Shannons ambassador – Jim Richards, has been appointed Ambassador of the new support category.

“This is a celebration of an era that was an important part of my life,” the four-time Australian Touring Car Champion and seven-time Bathurst winner said. “I drove Toranas, Commodores, an XB Falcon, BMWs and Nissans and the variety of makes and models created fantastic racing for both drivers and spectators.

Shannons Business Development Manager Victoria, Richard Sanders, said he was confident the Shannons Group C & A races would be a major attraction of the Australian Grand Prix meeting.

“The cars that competed during this 19-year period come from the heartland of Australian Touring Car racing. Their engines form the soundtrack of many enthusiasts’ lives,” he said.